Superheater-unit-testing device



Nov. 11, 1930.

G. w. cARRl GAN v SUPERHEATER UNIT TESTING DEVICE Filed Dec. 9, 1929 2Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 11, 1930.

Filed Dec. 9, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 11, 1936) rarnnr FFEQEGEORGE W CABRIGAN, OF CLEBURNE, TEXAES SUPERHEATER-UNIT-TESTING DEVICEApplication filed. December 9, 1929. Serial No. 412,688.

-My invention relates to a device more particularly adapted for testingthe superheater units employed in locomotives and has for its object theprovision of a device which may be easily and quickly applied to and asreadily removed from the ends of superheater units for the purpose oftesting same before installation; a devicewhich will be positive in itstesting operation.

I am aware that various devices are at present inuse for superheaterunit testing, but

said devices are of such construction that much time is lost intheir-operation.

"While my invention is especially intended for locomotive superheaterunit testing, it is apparent that my improved device may be used inother connections and operations.

The objects and advantages of my invention will be readily comprehendedfrom the de- 201 tailed description of the accompanying drawings.wherein- Figure 1 is a plan view, with portions in section, of myimproved device and portions of the fluid or medium supply lines brokenaway.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the device shown applied to the ends ofa superheater unit of which intermediate portions are broken away.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 33of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4C is a sectional and side elevation of my improved device shownapplied to the ends of a superheater unit of which portions are brokenaway. r

Figure 5 is a view taken substantially along the oiiset line 55 ofFigure 1, as viewed by 40 the arrows.

Figure 6is a sectional view takensubstantially onthe line 66 of Figurel, as viewed by. the arrows.

In the particular exempliiication of the 5 invention as disclosed in thedrawings, A

illustrates a superheater unit, the intermediate portion whereof isbroken away; the unit being provided with the two ends 10 and 11 andthese ends provided with the usual super- 50 heater unit clamp 12employed in the installation of the unit to hold the unit in place whenin service on alocomotive.

i The ends 10 and 11 of the superheater unit are usually provided withthe enlarged portions 13 which are seated in the usual washers 14 foreffecting fiuid-tight connections when in service. The outer ends of thesuperheater units are provided with rounded enlargements or heads 15 fora ground oint connection with the superheater header not shown; therounded heads beingiintended to receive a gasket 16 of leather oranyother suitablematerial for effecting a water-tight joint with thetester now to be described.

My improved tester comprises a closed chamber 17 which is surrounded bya cylindrical piston 18, having a fluid-tight relation with the walls ofthe chamber 17 by means of a suitable packing 19 of proper form andsuitable material and held in place by plate 20 shown bolted to the endwall of the chamber 17 by bolts 21. The end wall of the chamber 17,which is provided with thepaclc ing 19, is provided with a port 22 whichpermits fluid to flow from chamber 17 into the closed end of thecylindrical piston. 18.

The base portion of the chamber 17 is provided with ports 23 and 24; theport 23 receiving one end. of a pipe 25, while the port 24 receives oneend of a pipe 26; the two pipes being shown threaded into the ends ofthe ports. The outer end of pipe is connected to one outlet of athree-way valve 27; while the outerend of pipe 26 is provided with adischarge plug valve 28 having an operating handle 29 for controllingoutfiowinto discharge pipe 30 which may lead to a container or othersuitable point of discharge.

One end: of the three vay valve 27 has a connection 31 which, in turn,connects with a water supply line 32 which leads to a suitable source offluid or water under pressure. The other end of three-way valve 27 isprovided with a connection 33 having an air supply conduit or pipe 3 1connected thereto and lead- 1 in g froma suitable source of air underpressure. i i y l The connection at the end of fluid pipe 32 is providedwith a P1136 havlng a threeway valve 36 which has a pipe 37 whoseoppovalve 86 is in the position shown in Figure 8;

. The side wall of the cylindrical piston 18, on oppositesides, isprovided with suitable brackets 89, 89, for the purpose-of pivotallysecuring the anchors or clamp members 40,40. The upper ends of theanchors 40, 40 are shown preferably bowed inwardlytoward each other andare formed with hand-grasping portions 41; while the lower or oppositeends are provided with inwardly disposed hook portions 42, which areadapted toengage beneath the usual, superheater un t clamp member 12.The anchors 40, 40, inter-,

mediate of their pivotal points 48, 48 and the hook ends 42, 42, areshown provided'withapertured lobes 4.4 to receive a suitablecontractingspring which normally draws the hook ends 42 into.engagementwith the underside a line or pipe for conveying the fluid-toany of the unit. clamp member 12, as shown in the drawings. I

The three way valve 86 is provided with a discharge outlet 46 which mayconnectwith suitable source. of storage or waste.

My improved. tester is a portable device in- Htended for testing large'numbersof super-.

heater units clustered on the shop floors or trucks for the purpose ofdetermining whether theunits are leak-proof before installationfonlocomotives; and in orderthat the tester may be moved it is, of course,necessary that the pipes 82' and 84 be provided with suitableflexiblef'connections, such as hose, flexible conduits or joints. 7

a In operation, it .will"be"understood that pipe 82 is connected withsome suitable fluid supply, preferably water under pressure;

while pipe 84 is:connected with a suitable I supply of air underpressure valve 27 it being understood should initially be closed.

' Thesuperheater unit clamp member 12is.

arranged at the ends 10 and 11 of the superheater unit A, asshown in thedrawings, and

my improved testing device is then. applied with theheads or enlargedportions of the superheater unit ends arranged in thesockets or enlarged'orifices of the ports 28 and 24in V I the base ofthe chamber 17 asshown in the drawings, with a suitable packing element or washertherebetween'so-as to provide a fiuid- 1 7 v .27 is then set so as tobring its ports into tight seating.

' In order to hold theloosely mounted superheater unit clamp element '12in proper posiof handle members or vbars 48, 48, pivotally' connectedtogether at 49 and havingj aw'portions formed to encircle-'oriit' aboutthe roundend of one of the superheater units,

tion while applying my .testingdevice, 1

prefer to employ the clamp member shown at 47 r in Figures 1 and4, whichconsists of a pair charge pipe 80.1

as shown in Figure 4'. The jaw portions.

50 are'held'in gripping relation with the superheaterunit end by meansof a spring 51 (see Figure 1). With this clamp placed beneath thesuperheater clamp element 12, 6 1

it is apparent that the latter will be held in place at the enlargedends of the super heater unit 'A until the testingdevicehas been putinto place. Thls permits the operator to use both hands in applying andmainpulatmg 7 the testing device; the temporary clamp ele- Q 1 ment 47may be removed after the testing device has been applied to thesuperheater unitiA. n p p r r The testing. device is applied by grasping89 handles 41, 41 of the. anchor member 40 and drawing the handlestogether so as to separate the jaw or hook ends 42 so as to enablethesehook ends 42 to be placedaboutthe s'uperh'eater-unit clamp element 12,with the; 35 hook ends engaging therebeneath, as shown in the drawings.Valve 86, is then opened to allow water,or other suitable fluid'which isunder a suitable pressure, to flow through pipe 87 and into chamber 17The water isiioo allowed to fill chamber 17 and to flow through port22"into'the piston 18. This will build p a pressure in cylindricalpiston18 and cause it tojmove upward. I

As the anchor members 40, 40 are pivotallyf connected to the piston 18by the brackets 89.

the anchor will-likewise moveupward and thereby draw the enlarged endsof the superheater unitA firmly into the socketed or enlarged orificesof ports 23 and 24 in the lm bottom of the testing device and providewater-tight seal. g i p Valve 27 is now set so that itsports willregister with the water pressure. pipe 82 and with pipe 25, thusallowing the water to passTios through port 28 and intoend 10 of thesuperheater unit A. l As soon'as the superheater unit A is filled, thewater'-or other medium-will flow out of superheater unit end 11,throughport 24; 11o into, pipe 26. Before opening valve. 27, which iscontrolled by handle '27, it will be understood that valve 28 is opened.As soon as 'the water' discharges through. pipe 8.0, valve 28, operatedby handle 29, isthen closed alfi thus causing pressure to build up inthe superheater unit equal to the pressure in supply line 82, therebyproviding effectual testing means for leaks'in the superheater unit.

' When the. testhas been completed, valve j unit A will force the waterout of the superheater unit and through pipe "*26 and disv The three-wayvalve 86, operatedby'handle a 36, is then closed against inflow of thewater from pipe and connection 37, into the chamber 17; the valve 36being set so as to allow the water to discharge through outlet 46thereby relieving the pressure on piston 18 and hence release theclamped relation be tween the device and the superheater unit;

permitting the anchor member to be released and be applied to the nextunit tobe tested. The water coming from the cylinder may be conducted tosome suitable container to prevent wasting if desired.

I have shown what I believe to be a desirable form of my invention,which I have described in terms employed merely as terms of descriptionand not as terms of limitation, as structural modifications may be madewithout, however, departing from the spirit of my invention.

lVhat I claim is 1. A device of the character described comprisingported means adapted to receive the orificed ends of a superheater unit;a pressure medium receiving conduit communicat- I ing with one port ofsaid means; a discharge conduit communicating with the other port ofsaid means; means, operable by a medium under pressure, whereby saidported means and the superheater unit are clamped a together; andcontrollable means whereby a fluid under pressure and compressed air arealternately admitted to said pressure me dium receiving conduit.

2. A device of the character described comprising a pressure mediumreceiving cham ber; a piston operable by the medium entering saidchamber; anchor elements pivotally carried by said piston; a pressuremedium re ceiving member adapted to register with one end of asuperheater unit; adischarge member adapted to register with the otherend of the superheater unit; and means having communication with apressure fluid supply and a compressed air supply and with said pressuremedium receiving member whereby a pressure fluid and compressed air mayalternately be admitted to said pressure medium receiving member.

3. A device of the character described comprising a member provided witha pair of fluid conveying channels having flared orifices to receive theheaded ends of a superheater unit; a pressure fluid supply line and acompressed air line means for selectively r placing said lines incommunication with one of said channels; a fluid receiving chamber; apiston reciprocably associated with said chamber; a pair of jaw membersconnected with said piston and adapted to engage with the superheaterunit, whereby movement of the piston induced by admission of fluid tosaid chamber will draw the headed ends of the superheater unit into theorifices of said channels; and means for controlling outflow through theother of said channels.

4. A device of the character described comprising a chambered memberprovided with a base having a pair of ports; pipes secured to one of theends of each of said ports; a cylindrical piston slidably surroundingsaid member in fluid-tight relation therewith; the upper end of saidchambered member having a port whereby fluid is admitted into thepiston; controllable means whereby a fluid and compressed air arealternately admitted to one of said pipes; a pair of superheater unitengagingmembers pivotally secured to said piston whereby upward movementof the piston will hold the superheater unit ends against the ports insaid base; and controllable means for admitting fluid into the chamberedmember.

5. A device of the character described comprising a closed chamberprovided with an outlet port in one end wall and a controllable inlet; apiston telescopically mounted over the outlet port end of said chamberin fluidtight relation therewith; a pair offluid conveying conduitssecured to the opposite outer sides of the chamber; controllable meansconnected with one of said conduits whereby fluid under pressure andcompressed air may alternately be admitted to said conduit; a pair ofjaw members connected to opposite sides of said pistonso as to movetherewith; means for forcing the jaw ends of the jaw members toward eachother, whereby the ends of a superheater unit are held in positionbeneath the ends of said conduits; and means for controlling the outflowfrom the other of said conduits.

GEORGE W. CARRIGAN.

